The metallicity distribution function is an important concept in stellar and galactic evolution. It is a curve of what proportion of stars have a particular metallicity of a population of stars such as in a cluster or galaxy.
MDFs are used to test different theories of galactic evolution. Much of the iron in a star will have come from earlier type Ia supernovae. Other [alpha] metals can be produced in core collapse supernovae.
Further reading
- McWilliam, Andrew. (2003). Abundance ratios and galactic chemical evolution. Annual Review of Astronomy and Astrophysics. 35. 503–556. doi:10.1146/annurev.astro.35.1.503.
References
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Schlesinger, Katharine J; Johnson, Jennifer A; Rockosi, Constance M; Young Sun Lee; Morrison, Heather L; Schoenrich, Ralph; Carlos Allende Prieto; Beers, Timothy C; Yanny, Brian; Harding, Paul; Schneider, Donald P; Chiappini, Cristina; da Costa, Luiz N; Maia, Marcio A. G; Minchev, Ivan; Rocha-Pinto, Helio; Santiago, Basilio X (2011). "The Metallicity Distribution Functions of SEGUE G and K dwarfs: Constraints for Disk Chemical Evolution and Formation". The Astrophysical Journal. 761 (2): 160. arXiv:1112.2214. Bibcode:2012ApJ...761..160S. doi:10.1088/0004-637X/761/2/160. S2CID 119205318. /wiki/ArXiv_(identifier) ↩
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